Independent Thinking on Transition

Book excerpt: Written by Dave Harris, Independent Thinking on Transition: Fostering better collaboration between primary and secondary schools is an inspirational compendium of practical strategies to empower primary and secondary school leaders to work together to get transition right. Foreword by Ian Gilbert. When it comes to looking at the quality of our current schooling system, the biggest elephant in the room is transition. We do it the way we've always done it and, in so many ways and despite our best intentions, we often end up doing it badly. But, as ever, there is another way. Which is where Independent Thinking Associate Dave Harris comes in. With an impressive track record in leadership that includes establishing one of England's all-too-rare all-through 318 state schools, Dave knows first-hand how much can be achieved when all phases work together and keep the children, not the system, at the heart of all they do. In this book he tackles school transition head-on, sharing a wealth of practical approaches and vividly illustrating how primary and secondary schools can better collaborate to ensure their pupils enjoy a smooth and effective move between the two phases. Dave's passion for joined-up thinking between different phases shines through in his writing, as does his ingenuity when it comes to the design and delivery of programmes that work. He provides a clear explanation of the differences between transition and induction programmes, and also shares a comprehensive set of appendices in which he presents a range of materials to support the ideas put forward in the book. Suitable for all school leaders from heads of department and heads of year to head teachers and transition leads in primary and secondary schools. Independent Thinking on Transition is one of a number of books in the Independent Thinking On series from the award-winning Independent Thinking Press.